The Cyrus Tang Hall of China, a permanent exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago, opened to the public in June. The wonderful exhibition consists of five galleries that cover a time span from the Neolithic period to the present.

“A total of 350 artifacts are selected from over 33,000 pieces in the Field Museum’s China collection for the exhibition,” Gary Feinman, the Museum’s East Asian Anthropology Curator, told me when I first visited the exhibition in June.

The exhibition is truly fascinating, both in its layout and use of technology. Visitors not only can examine the images of the objects on display, but also read the stories behind them, with the assistance of a rail—a touchscreen below each display window.

Dynasty and territories of China throughout history

An exhibition with so much information could be overwhelming, yet walking through the galleries and touching a screen here or there, I’m amazed that despite the diversity of objects and long historical periods, I feel charmed and elated instead, almost like being entertained while absorbing all the information available. Perhaps it is because of its modern design and user-friendly technology. Quite remarkable.

The objects that attracted my immediate attention include two bronze blades that dated to the Shang period (1600-1046 BC), the oracle bones, a 27 foot-long painting called the Qingming Scroll, which reveals only a small portion at a time for conservation, but visitors can see the entire scroll on a large touch screen, with the interactive option to zoom in and look at the details, and the model of the Java shipwreck vessel, from more than 800 years ago.

Display items & touchscreen trail underneath

Many people, especially children, were drawn to the shadow puppet section. In the display case are several exquisitely made puppets of characters from Journey to the West (Monk, Monkey King and Pigsy), a very popular vernacular novel of the Ming Dynasty (16th century). On a stand-alone screen in the middle of the room, a puppet show from the same story is being played out. If one is curious enough to walk over to the other side of the screen, she/he would be pleasantly rewarded by seeing the entire process of puppeteers orchestrating the characters behind the stage.

The Cyrus Tang of Hall is scheduled to be on display for 50 years, and certain items, depending on their frugality, will be rotated for preservation purposes.

I recently returned from a vacation in Europe, a river cruise down the Rhine from Basel in Switzerland to Amsterdam in Holland. This was a fascinating and enjoyable trip down a great European river. The ship stopped at many historical interesting towns and cities including Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France. This is the seat of the European Council and Commission for Human Rights. We boarded a bus at our mooring, and crossed the small bridge which took us into France and the city. Our guide was Lisette, an outgoing attractive woman probably in her mid-40s, with a son finishing high school. As we crossed the midpoint of the bridge, she announced with great fanfare that we were now in France. “You can immediately see the difference and smell the difference. This is historic France, and you have left Germany behind.”

As we drove into the city she not only pointed out areas of interest and different architectures, but told us about some of the recent history of this old city. In the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, the city was occupied by the Germans, and the region was declared part of Germany. With the end of that war the city and the region of Alsace once again returned to France. The great war of 1914/18 lead to a repeat of the process, and the German influence could be seen in the architecture, place names, and business signs. After the armistice in 1918, the city and the region once again returned to France, until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Shortly after the beginning of that war, the Germans once again marched into Strasbourg and quickly took control of the whole region. However, according to Lisette, the Nazi occupation was brutal and unrelenting. Most of the Jewish population of the city, which at that time accounted for over 60,000 people, fled, were killed, or shipped off to concentration camps. The Nazis insisted that all French names be removed from the city, whether they be businesses, schools, streets or civic buildings. It even became a crime punishable by arrest and deportation to wear the traditional French beret. Lisette was quite emotional, as she told us that the Nazis deported or forcibly enlisted 140,000 young men from Strasbourg who were sent to fight in the East, or became slave labor working in German industry. She told us that her grandfather had been arrested and shipped to Germany as slave labor. He survived but when he returned to Strasbourg he was a physical wreck of a man who never recovered from his traumatic experiences and died at an early age.

Strasbourg was one of the richest medieval cities in Europe. The well preserved old town is enclosed on all sides by a River Lil making the center an island which can be explored easily on foot. The city has a majestic cathedral which towers above the surrounding medieval houses of the former merchants of the city now turned into boutiques and restaurants. The food is excellent, definitely French, but with Dutch and German influences. We enjoyed our Strasbourg visit immensely but I was intrigued as to why Lisette was clearly so anti-German. She responded that the humiliation and suffering of the people of Strasbourg had left deep wounds and even though her mother had not been born until a year after the end of the war, her family could not forget. “These wounds run deep.” she said.

Our book group’s pick for this month’s reading is Anthony Doerr‘s award-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See, released in 2014.

The 500-page hardcover book looks and weighs like a brick, a little daunting, I must say.

I didn’t start reading it until last week, with less than 15 days to our book discussion date. I must say, I was immediately hooked by the style and short chapters—each feels like a scene in a film, presenting the lives of people on the opposite sides of WWII.

I plunged in, being mesmerized by the shifts in time and the separate narrative lines between the two main characters, a blind French girl, Marie, and a German orphan, Werner. I wondered when their path could cross and how they would connect.

The short chapters are refreshing and the pages turn quickly, yet a third into the novel, I got a bit wary—the shifting in time, back and forth, feels like too much and the two characters’ worlds didn’t cross until almost at the very end. Then, after surviving all the trials and redeeming himself by saving Marie and her uncle, Werner died meaninglessly by stumbling into a land mine while trying to go back to Germany, after being captured and treated for his illness.

Really? He could just walked off from a tent after being delirious from high fever for days?

Maybe it doesn’t matter how he died—so many people, soldiers and civilians and children, died during the war. Maybe a meaningless death makes it more powerful in presenting the futility of war.

Nevertheless, I was drawn into the story and glad to see the pace picks up in the second half and there is a depiction of life after the War. I stayed up late and kept reading, until I finished it today, with three days to spare and ponder.

I wonder about the symbolic meaning of the gem, the Sea of Flames, that serves as a string connecting the stories, and characters like Frederick, Werner’s school friend, who dared to say no during his training, Rumpel, the Major who goes after the gem, and Etienne, Marie’s uncle, who went “crazy” because of WWI and eventually found his courage by carrying out resistance during WWII.

Many layers to peel from, and many nice, detailed descriptions to savor. A good read. I can hardly wait to hear the comments of others in my reading group this Sat.

My book group, which meets once a month, selected Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for June, a novel, published in 2013, tells the story of a Nigerian woman who comes to the U.S. to study and eventually returns to her native country.

It’s a love story between Ifemelu, the female character, and her high school boyfriend, Obinze. Through her experiences and blogs in the U.S., she examines and writes about racial discrimination and explores identities of people striding between cultures.

It took me a while to get into the book, however, partially because of the narrative structure at the beginning, but a third into the story, or maybe earlier, I found myself mesmerized by Ifemelu’s blog and story—her blogs sharp, reflective and brave, though not without humor. Through her comments, racial issues that would make many people cringe are addressed, and people’s hypocritical behaviors, both in the U.S. and back in Nigeria, are exposed explicitly.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I’m delighted that the author didn’t stop when Ifemelu embarks on the journey back to her native country—the story continues to explore the life she sees and experiences as a returnee, now with a different perspective. She continues to be critical, about those “returnees” who were nostalgic about their experience abroad and complain about Nigeria, and some locals, including some of her friends or colleagues, who live as mistresses to rich men and appear to relish their borrowed lifestyle. Racial issue losses its pivotal point back in Nigeria and Ifemelu turns her blog to day-to-day life.

The book is fun to read and compelling in ways that make readers ponder deep into racial and identity issues. Highly recommended.

I experienced the saying that “if you don’t like Chicago weather, wait for ten minutes” for two days in a row.

I went out for a jog early yesterday morning. A slight drizzle caressed my face when I got out, making the air cool, moisturized and refreshing—a striking luxury for my throat and lungs after a long trip to China. By the time I jogged behind the Planetarium, the drizzle became small drops of rain. I watched the geese and ducks in the lake staying put without a fuss and continued on my route. The rain went on and off, and by the time I made a loop and got on to the stretch toward Monroe Street along the lake, the rain came down hard. I turned back but got inspired by other joggers, or I should say, runners who didn’t seek shelter. I got home soaking wet, a mixture of sweat and rain, but felt great. In about an hour, when I rode my bike to my office, the sun was peeping out.

Higher level of water at my favorite beach

Early this morning I went through another drastic change: when I started jogging around 6:30 am, a heavy fog enveloped the lake and the buildings nearby, making them vaguely visible. There was no wind, and the peaceful surface of the lake made me long to dive into it for a swim—I could hardly wait for the outdoor swim season to start. I ran over to my favorite beach and touched the water to feel the temperature—not as cold as I thought it would be. The water level is very high this year, reaching almost to the staircase at the beach I used to swim. This morning, only a lonely goose was there. Hope I will be able to join the goose in the Lake in a week or so. Maybe with the rapid change of Chicago weather, I don’t have to wait that long.

The lone geese

What a blessing and joy to have the lakefront trail and park, extending about 20 miles, all to the public!

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning doc film. Jian, aka Jennifer Hou Kwong, is directing a doc film on Art Paul

It’s hard to believe that the recent busy schedule, at least, it feels like “recent,” has been going on for months and I haven’t posted any blog since last October when I was covering the 50th Chicago Int’l Film Festival for Xinhua News! It’s time to get back and be disciplined to write with consistence.

A lot has happened over the last eight months, among them, the most important:

With George Lois in NYC, after interviewing him for the doc film on Art Paul

I’ve embarked on a challenging and yet exciting project: make a feature-length documentary film on Art Paul, an iconic figure in the U.S. or I should say, in the world. He is the bunny logo creator, the founding art director for Playboy for the first 29 years, and a fine artist in his own rights. Among the prominent people I’ve interviewed, up to now, include Hugh Hefner (at the Playboy Mansion in LA), George Lois, Steve Heller, Brad Holland, Richard Hunt, Roy Schnackenburg, Bob Lostutter, Lanny Silverman, Kerig Pope, and of course, Art Paul and his wife Suzanne Seed, and many more;

Interviewing Lin Zaiyong, President of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music during the SSIFM in Shanghai

I’ve successfully brokered a groundbreaking cultural exchange programs between WFMT Radio Network, my client as a consultant, and several parties in China, including the Shanghai East Radio, the Shanghai International Music Festival (SSIMF) and China Radio International (CRI). Concerts by major U.S. symphony orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, have been broadcast on Shanghai East Radio (Classical 94.7 FM) since Jan., and a series of eight two-hour programs based on the latest SSIMF (held in April and May) will be produced and broadcast in the West. And we are fortunate enough to get Abbott underwriting these two programs.

I spend three weeks in China in May, attending the SSIMF (one concert a day for the 10 days I was in Shanghai!) and meeting with management teams at several radio stations, symphony orchestras, and the Beijing Int’l Music Festival, exploring several other major cultural exchange programs! All very exciting.

The list can go on, but I’ll save some for later when more development is made.

Even in the U.S., if you download an app called Qing Ting, and listen to the broadcast of U.S. concerts in Shanghai at prime time: Friday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. local time. The app will broadcast the program for 24 hours, and the radio station’s website will stream it for a week. Enjoy and Chao for now.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning doc film. Jian, aka Jennifer Hou Kwong, is directing a doc film titled The Man Behind the Bunny: Art of Playboy.

The 50thChicago International Film Festival (CIFF) opened on Oct. 9, the day I rushed back from a 10-day trip to China. I cherished the hope of making it on time to cover the Red Carpet opening at the Harris Theater for Xinhua News, and had arranged for a colleague to pick up my badge. Although my flight arrived shortly after 4 p.m. and I cleared custom in record time, I found myself still in traffic on my way to the city at 6 p.m. when the celebration was supposed to kick off.

At 50, CIFF is the oldest film festival in the U.S., definitely something to be proud of. Over the years, the Festival featured many emerging directors who are now well known, with Liv Ullmann, who made her debut as director at the Festival, bringing her latest film Miss Julie to the opening evening. Kathleen Turner is here, too, presiding over the international film competition jury.

This year’s festival features more than 150 films from over 50 countries, among them, eight films from Asia. Most of the films are shown at River East AMC, with multiple screenings running simultaneously. The Festival will continue till Wednesday, October 22. In addition to showcasing a variety of films, the Festival also offers panels on filmmaking and distribution. Columbia College, the key presenter of the Festival, also offers a “Master Class,” accompanied with a film screening, in the afternoon of Wed., Oct 15.

I’ve been to the Festival almost everyday, attending panel discussions and talking with filmmakers after the screenings of their films. That’s one of the best benefit of attending film festivals—you have a chance to meet and talk with the people behind the scene. Grace McPhillips was one I

The Other One, Dir. Josef Steiff

particularly enjoyed talking with. She is Executive Producer of The Other One, a locally made feature film. She readily shared information on the film’s budget, grassroots fundraising, and forms of in-kind donation that made the production of the film possible. I raised questions to her as a filmmaker, not a journalist, and was impressed by her openness and generosity. “Here is my card,” she said as we parted our way. “We can talk over coffee if you have more questions.” That shows so much of the spirit of the film festival.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and is narrated by Jacqueline Bisset. The film was shown on national PBS in May 2014.

Chicago’s lakefront trail is most dynamic on Saturday mornings from spring through the fall. If you are up early and get to the trail, you will feel the pulse of the city right there. I have seen and participated in various activities in one form or another many times, yet I find myself deeply moved each time I am back on the trail, and feel very fortunate to be part of it—living, embracing, and appreciating life to the fullest.

On a Saturday a few weeks ago when the weather was still very warm, I rode my bike north on the trail after my early morning swim. I encountered many people running along the trail, some in groups, and others solo. Perspiration dripped from their back and arms, giving their skin a healthy and radiant glow. As I passed them, admiring their strength and spirit, I noticed a young father pushing a baby stroller ahead of him as he ran. Despite the extra weight, he was going at a good pace. I raised my thumb on the handlebar.

I was happy to see more people were using the blue Divvy bikes, the Chicago bike sharing system, on the trail. The front and back lights on the bikes flashed in white and red as if to render a friendly greeting.

The trail got more crowded as I moved north. Once I passed Grand Avenue, the mile-long swimming section along the raised concrete sidewalk came into view. There were quite a few people in the water swimming long distance, with the majority wearing wetsuits. I slowed down, watching their arms alternating in and out of the water and admiring the power and speed of these strong swimmers, both men and women.

As I turned the curve and headed toward the Oak Street underpass, I saw many people playing sand volleyball. They all looked young, nicely tanned by the summer sun, and healthy. Right off the sandy beach, children and adults were enjoying themselves on the beach.

Everywhere I looked, I saw the joy of activities and movements. It was the beauty of life at its best.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and is narrated by Jacqueline Bisset. The film was on national PBS in May 2014

Vitus, a Swedish film by director Fredi M. Murel, is very sweet, entertaining, yet enlightening film. The film was released in 2006 and shown at the Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) the same year and won the Audience Choice Award. Vitus, a young piano prodigy, and genius in many other areas, wants to be “normal” and control his own growing up path, vs. being dictated by his well-meaning parents. There is no villain in the film, and no tragic ending, despite the accidental death of Vitus’ grandfather.

The film was shown at the Chicago’sCultural Center last night to a packed audience, followed by a nice discussion led by Ron Falzone, professor of film at Columbia College. It was part of CIFF’s Annual International Screenings Program.

I like the film because of the multiple levels of relationship presented—Vitus with his parents, and the real connection he has with his grandfather, his disconnect with his peers as a talent child, and his clever way of out-smart his controlling mother. Unlike many films that present “dis-functioning” families, Vitus’ parents love each other and love him, he loves them. His faked fall from their apartment building not only manipulated his way out of his mother’s tight grip, but also the perception of the audience. It was not because he didn’t want to practice piano, but practice the way he sees fit.

Vitus (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the end, Vitus lets go of his cover and performs brilliantly with a first rate symphony orchestra, to the fullest satisfaction any parents could have. That, along with the surreal happenings in which that he helps his grandfather realizing his pilot dream and helps his father restores his dignity and company position. But what lingers in my mind most is the relationship between his nurturing grandfather and him. Very sweet and touching. Highly recommend it.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and is narrated by Jacqueline Bisset. The film was on national PBS in May 2014.

The following is the author’s description of the photograph quoted directly from the photograph’s Flickr page. “Blue Chicago ” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After one day of a perfect calm surface for swimming, choppy waves flared up at my favorite beach in Lake Michigan again this morning. I measured the length and strength of the waves with my eyes when I arrived at the beach and decided to give it a try. After all, I was already there.

It was not the first time I toyed with the waves. Last week, three out of the seven days I encountered choppy water, though didn’t feel threatened (I did go to a more sheltered beach to swim one day.) I knew and fully respect the formidable power of the Lake and swam closer to shore. I was prepared to reach land with one strong kick if I got chocked with a strong tide. While I concentrated on my strokes and speed during calm days, I focused on the ups and downs of the waves in times like this. Occasionally I’d swallowed a mouthful of murky water. However, if I stayed calm—not let the fear of being crushed by a sudden wave overwhelm me, I could maneuver my way quite well.

“You are an hero,” an older man said, raising his thumb at me when he walked by the shower facility on shore where I was rinsing.

I laughed, telling him I’m an idiot flirting with the power of nature. I certainly had no intention to be an hero.

I knew the rest of the day I’d feel the motion of ups and downs as if I were still in the water. But I had no regret.

The season of swimming in the Lake is so short in Chicago, and the water has finally turned warm and comfortable. The joy of being in this body of live water and the energy I feel it gives to me make it worthwhile to keep at it every day.

Of course, there is always a sense of fear lurking in the back of my mind. Today, for some reason, that feeling was gnawing at me all the time.

The Portage Lake Michigan shore looking across the lake to the Chicago skyline. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I chickened out by turning back half way across the beach area. With a buffer from an infrastructure on one end, the waves at the north half of the beach appeared less choppy. I did four half rounds, conscious of the power of water trashing me up and down. I changed to breaststroke from time to time to get a better bearing of my location. As if to make matters worse, I noticed a couple of seagulls looming above, sometimes hanging dangerously low over me as if ready to attach me as their prey. Through my blurred goggles I could see their opened beaks. I turned to freestyle and made huge arm swings in an effort to keep them off.

Eventually the fear of waves and the birds made me retreat to a small, sheltered enclave. The water was much calmer here, but I had to make back and forth turns frequently as if in the confines of a pool.

I managed to do a total of 45 minutes. As I was riding my bike home on the sidewalk by Columbus Ave., I encounter a family of bikers coming my way. I moved to the right side and slowed down. A little girl, probably about 5 or 6, was riding beautifully in a straight line before she saw me. She panicked and zigzagged toward me when she found me moving toward her direction. I had to brake hard and jump off my bike to avoid her. I waved to calm her as she waggled by. I knew it was the same sense of fear that made her lose balance.

I had swum in more choppy waves in the Lake before. I was careful but not so fearful. Today I returned feeling somewhat defeated because I allowed that fear to dictate me.

How many times we don’t accomplish things we are capable of doing because we allow the external threat to compound with our inner fear? Confidence is certainly a major factor in success, whatever the undertaking.

Hope I’ll do better tomorrow, with or without the choppy waves.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into an award-winning documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and is narrated by Jacqueline Bisset. The film was on national PBS in May 2014.